Resilient openable top ash tray



Oct. 30, 1951 s. N. BONANOS 2,573,391

RESILIENT OPENABLE-TOP ASH TRAY Filed May 12, 1949 SPYROS N. BON 0s,

Attorney Patented Oct. 30, i951 UNITED STATE-S PATENT OFFICE 2,573,391 RESILIENT OPENABLE 'ror' ASH TRAY Spyros N. Bonanos, New Y ork, N. Y. Application May 12, 194a'seria1 No. 92,910

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates toimprovements in ash trays the objects of which are to provide a box like structure or trap which extinguishes by suffocating the cigarrette butts, thereby avoiding any fire danger or unpleasant odor.

I The general objects of the present invention are to provide a particularly cheap disposable ash tray which is safe and convenient for-the smoker to use, easy to clean, and to replace, simple and solid in construction and suitable to manufacture in large quantities.

Among the more specific objects of my invention are toprovide an ash tray formed from a foldable and fireproof blank which may be lined with asbestos paper or the like or impregnated in any way. The lining not only provides a fire proof surface but provides means for accomplishing tight joints between the side panels and the bottom panel, forming. a completely closed space.

A further object is to provide box like ash trays of such construction as to permit stacking in nested relation when empty whereby they occupy comparatively small space and are equally spaced one from another.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an ash tray according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the ash tray taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1 or at right angles to Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a top view of an open receptable or package carrying one dozen ash trays arranged in nested relation with their bottom members or panels removed.

Referring more particularly to the drawing the body member I is illustrated as being substantially square in top plan and of hollow box like construction consisting of a front wall 2, a rear wall 3, and side walls 4 and 5. The side wall 4 extends upwardly in a'fiat plane, slightly inclined from the vertical to the top of the ash tray, thence laterally, and thence curves downwardly to the middle portion of the tray thus forming the curved top member 6 which may terminate along the line I.

The side wall in like manner extends upwardly to the top of the ash tray, thence laterally and thence curves downwardly to form the curved top member 8 which also may terminate along the line 1. *Upon the straight horizontal portion of each member 6 and 8 may be secured a corrugated thin strip of sheet material such as aluminum or the like which is shaped into curved ridges and hollows for the purpose of supporting and spacing cigarettes which are placed thereon. The lighted portion of the cigarette which is supported by the metallic strip 9 or rest is positioned above the curved portion of the members 6 or 8 so that the ashes will readily fall into the trough directly above the line I.

To add to the rigidity of the structure each member 8 and 8 may be reinforced by means of a narrow strip of asbestos paper [8, attached to the lower side of each member directly beneath the metallic strip or rest 9.

The asbestos paper lining not only provides a fire proof surface but the edges of the paper adjacent the bottom of the ash tray may be bent to a horizontal position thus forming tabs H which provide means for accomplishing tight joints between the front, rear, and side walls and the bottom panel l2.

It will be observed that the free edges of the curved top members 6 and 8 meet and contact each other forming along the line I a narrow trough within which the cigarette ashes and stubs collect and then are permitted to drop to the bottom of the container when the sides of the trough are pressed apart by a finger, pencil or the like.

Obviously, such a trough construction could be also used to remove refuse material from the end of a dental tool or the like.

As shown in Fig. 3, the bottom panel l2 may easily be snapped into position and removed by sliding in the grooves [3.

The easy removal of the bottom panel. I! is an important feature of the invention since it aifords the dual function of permitting the bottomless ash trays to be packed closely adjacent to each other in a suitable box or receptacle as clearly shown in Fig. 4 and causing easy removal of the ashes.

This Figure 4 shows a top view of an open receptacle l4 provided with a lid l5 and filled with one dozen ash trays closely packed together and having their bottom panels 12 assembled at one end of the receptacle.

The ash tray shown and described is constructed preferably of inexpensive material such as asbestos paper or similar fireproof material 3. strengthened or stiffened by means of card board or similar heavier material.

The ash tray may be constructed without the use of asbestos paper by merely spraying the card board with a fireproof solution.

The edges and corners of the box like structure, if desired, may :be reinforced and bound together, as shown in Fig. 1, by thin metallic strips I6 such as are well known and in common use in the art of box making.

Ash trays, such as described above, could also be made of suitable plastic material at a slight additional expense.

Such ash trays could also be made of any fireresisting but elastic sheet material.

The ash tray, as illustrated, shows two flexible container structure of sheet material having a.

bottom and upstanding front, rear and two side walls, a top portion formed by a horizontal extension of each of the side walls, the extremities of said extensions being curved downwardly to meet and contact each other along a line located at the center of the ash tray between the side walls thereof so as to completely enclose the box like structure and to form a narrow trough within which the cigarette ashes and stubs collect and then are permitted to drop to the 7 bottom of the container when the sides of the curved top members 6 and 8 which contact each 7 other but obviously it would be within the scope of the invention to provide a single curved top member which would contact with either of the side walls 4 or 5.

Such side walls could carry advertising matter if desired.

Various modifications may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit thereof L trough are pressed apart.

- SPYROS N. BONANOS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,239,307 Schmid Sept. 4, 1917 1,639,760 Wise Aug. 23, 1927 1,658,885 Darney Feb. 14, 1928 1,709,330 1 Thomas Apr. 11, 1929 1,867,080 Kraft July 12, 1932 1,912,531 Lowson June 6, 1933 2,298,146 Mersbach Oct. 6, 1942 2,319,761 Bodkin May 18, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Italy Mar. 15, 1934 

